As attendees strolled up to the ribbon cutting of the Dr. Jorge and Luz Maria Prieto Community Center on Saturday, more people greeted each other with hugs than handshakes, exchanging “it’s-nice-to-see-you”s instead of introductions.
Though the 9th Ward building has served a similar community-oriented purpose for many years, Saturday marked the second time it’s changed names since the city purchased it in January 2024, transforming what had long been Little Beans Cafe into a public gathering space.
“What a wonderful thing to celebrate, government doing what it’s supposed to do — which is to provide a place for people to come together,” Mayor Daniel Biss said as part of his opening remarks.
City officials, members of the Prieto family and those close to them took to a parking lot podium to speak on the occasion’s importance, each sharing stories of Dr. Jorge and Luz Maria Prieto’s relationship, activism and community service and how it transformed Evanston — especially for its Latino residents.
The Prietos first moved to Evanston in 1956, but the family’s legacy of advocacy began long before then. Dr. Jorge Prieto was raised in Los Angeles after his father was exiled from Mexico in the early 20th century for his revolutionary ideas.
After Jorge obtained a medical degree and married his wife, Luz Maria, the couple raised nine children in a house on Seward Street. As a family practitioner in Chicago’s West Side, Jorge cared for those who were rejected by or were unable to afford healthcare, frequently offering pro bono services to those he thought needed help.
Beyond the 11 members of their immediate family, the Prietos’ doors were open to countless others who found sanctuary there. Over the years, United Farm Workers organizers stayed temporarily in addition to friends of the Prieto children who shuffled in and out.
Donna Johnson, now the mayor of Libertyville, was among those who frequented the Seward house as a child.
In her Saturday remarks, Johnson recalled memories of the couple and drew connections between their home and the idea of a community center. She said she hopes the same unconditional welcome the Prietos consistently extended will be replicated within the walls dedicated in their honor.
“What a clear example in terms of a family, of the kinds of things that we need to admire today in our country and try to bring back in our value system,” Johnson said. “Inclusion, welcoming everyone, but most importantly: family, and on top of that, God and prayer.”
Johnson’s parents served alongside Jorge on the Catholic Interracial Council. Together, they advocated for civil rights and migrant farm workers, two movements she called “critical” to the family’s story.
The visiting mayor also spoke of Jorge’s unwavering commitment to his Mexican heritage.
“It was a major part of who he was and he conveyed that in every interaction he had,” she said.
Those who encountered the Prietos outside of the domestic sphere also spoke at the renaming ceremony.
Dr. Edward Blumen, a family physician for five decades, explained that Jorge convinced him to move to Evanston when he was a resident at Cook County Hospital, and with his help, Blumen took a sabbatical that allowed him to work alongside Cesar Chavez in Salinas, California.
Jeanne Fox, the former director of Evanston’s Mental Health Board, recalled when Luz Maria approached her to establish funding for a Latino outreach worker to help the population integrate into the community.
Back then, in 1975, no city employees spoke Spanish, but Luz Maria was persistent about the need for interpreters and improvements in housing, education and healthcare for Latino residents.
Despite societal expectations that women should solely care for the house and children, Fox said that Jorge was willing to pick up some of the slack at home as his wife took on a more public-facing role.
“He supported her wholeheartedly,” Fox said.
Ald. Juan Geracaris (9th) was the final speaker before the Prieto family cut a ribbon to conclude the event.
The lone Latino councilmember, Geracaris thanked those who helped allow the renaming, including City Manager Luke Stowe, Parks and Recreation Director Audrey Thompson and former Ald. Devon Reid (8th) who he called a “strong voice” advocating to bring resources to South Evanston.
“I always like to think of the 9th ward as being like the real Evanston,” Geracaris said. “When people think of a diverse, lovely community, it is my neighborhood.”
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